41 gifts

  Qiu Qiu found another good book in the library, and this one was closest to what she was looking for.

  This book is very damaged, although it has been supplemented later, it still lacks nearly a third of the original content. The person who supplemented the book was very meticulous and used spider glue to stick every fragment together, piecing them together with great care. A thread was tied around the cover of the book, at the end of which was attached another version that had been carefully transcribed, with missing characters filled in by guesswork and marked in a different color, accompanied by small notes on the side.

  Qiu Qiu was deeply moved, this must also be a book lover, or someone who yearns for strange spaces, to treat this book like that.

  She carefully copied the book using the method taught by her senior fellow, and then made a rubbing. Copying can only be done in the council chamber, but making a rubbing is different. The rubbing that comes out is not just black ink, but what your eyes see now, and after making a rubbing, it is exactly the same without any difference.

  Qiu Qiu carefully put the book away in her bag and left the library at about the same time as usual.

  The monk guarding the scripture library, Jinghai Shixiong, was nowhere to be found. Autumn looked around but didn't see anyone.

  What a pity! Qiuqiu had wanted to thank him sincerely. In the sect, he was one of the few people who gave her such enthusiastic help without seeking anything in return.

  Qiuqiu was just about to step down when a streak of light suddenly flashed by in the distance. Qiuqiu stopped in her tracks.

  Jing Hai Shixiong panted and put away his flying sword, wiping the sweat from his forehead: "Fortunately I made it in time, I was afraid you had already left."

  "Master Jinghai, where did you come from?"

  "I had someone look for something two days ago, and just now he sent me a message saying that the thing has arrived, urging me to go pick it up. I was afraid that by the time I got back, you would have already left, but as it happens, I'm running into you just in time."

  "What's wrong?"

  Jing Hai Shixiong smiled and pulled out a box from his sleeve, handing it over to Qiuqiu.

  Qiuqiu wasn't a naive country girl who had never seen the world, Yu Xia's good things she and Jingxin Shifu had both seen eight or nine out of ten. Not to mention Shifu, even Shi Er had quite a few good things. Fang Zhenren was so generous with him that he gave him almost everything in the world that was worth having. Shi Er also didn't differentiate between himself and Qiuqiu, when she left in a hurry, most of the things were left to Qiuqiu.

  "What's this?" Qiu Qiu immediately reacted: "Thank you, senior brother, but I cannot accept."

  "Nothing too important, really just a famous magical treasure, and your brother here isn't capable of getting it anyway."

  Qiuqiu still refused and wouldn't accept it.

  Although Senior Brother Jinghai has a long history, he is completely different from others. Other senior brothers in the sect either hold important positions or have good masters and ancestors to support them. If Senior Brother Jinghai had those things, he wouldn't be relegated to this desolate place guarding the scripture library. This can't even be called a "clear water government office", a clear water government office at least has water, but here there's simply nothing.

  The sect also gives its disciples some pocket money every month, but not cash, usually some spirit stones and pills. The higher the status, the better the treatment. This forms a cycle where those who can get more resources will be promoted faster and higher, and being promoted faster and higher means getting even more resources.

  Jing Hai Shixiong didn't have such convenient conditions, so every bit of what he gained and paid out was extremely difficult. Qiuqiu thought that if they were to take everything out of their乾坤袋 (a magical bag) to compare their wealth, she would definitely surpass this poor Shixiong. Of course, those things weren't really hers either - half of them were the real things that Yu Xia had collected, which couldn't be counted as hers. The other half were things that Qiuqiu had picked up, which also couldn't be considered her own.

  "Take a look at what it is first."

  Qiu Qiu pushed aside her excuses and opened the box lid.

  Inside was an arm ring, which at first glance looked like a ordinary golden ornament with a talisman for children, but the fleeting colorful light flowing on it made people understand that this was definitely not an ordinary object.

  "This lotus bracelet can protect the body, but it's not a good thing. A powerful attack won't be blocked by it," said Jinghai Shixiong with some embarrassment: "It's an old object, I asked someone to exchange it outside, and he brought back this thing, which is already two or three hundred years old. The patterns on top have been re-engraved, and at that time they didn't count as anything special. After so many years, the effect is naturally not comparable to before." He added: "To say that it also has an ability, which is to shine when a demon approaches. However, since the last Demon-Subduing and Way-Protection War were hundreds of years ago, and with the seal in place, no demons can break through the boundary, this one is no longer useful."

  Qiu Qiu didn't quite understand the value of goods, but even if it was an old thing like this, Master Jinghai must have spent a lot of spirit stones and time to get it.

  Qiu Qiu certainly cannot accept it. Usually, Jing Hai has already taken care of her a lot, and those things that Qiu Qiu can consider as elder brother taking care of younger generation. But sending things is different. Not to mention him, even if his master wants to send, Qiu Qiu still cannot accept.

  "Big brother, I really can't accept this. No pay for no work! If you insist on giving it to me, then next time I won't dare come here to study again."

  Jing Hai is not the kind of person who can talk eloquently, if he were that kind of person, he wouldn't be standing here looking at the gate now. Qiu Qiu didn't want to, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say either. Watching Qiu Qiu walk away in the wind and snow, Jing Hai came back to his senses, wondering if he had been too abrupt.

  He didn't mean anything else. Not like some of his fellow disciples who, under the guise of caring for their beautiful junior sisters, tried to curry favor with them. There were indeed people in the sect who did this, but even if Jing Hai wanted to find a dual cultivation partner, he would definitely not set his sights on Jing Qiu, who was still just a little girl. Finding a dual cultivation partner wasn't about raising a child, and she had only just entered the sect - after waiting several decades, her skills might have some foundation, but the gap between them would be too great to achieve the mutually beneficial goal of dual cultivation.

  Jing Hai just felt that Qiu Qiu being alone on the mountain was not easy, with no one to care for her or ask about her, spending her days reading alone and walking alone.

  She reminded Jing Hai of things from very long ago.

  When he was not yet called Jing Hai, his hometown suffered a great flood. In order to survive and have something to eat, his family sold him. His little sister grasped his hand tightly and refused to let go...

  He also remembered that after he became a disciple, he had a very happy and carefree life. His senior sister was very good to him and even helped him mend his clothes... But his senior sister is no longer around either.

  That was also a winter, the sky was very cold, and the snow kept falling, as if it would never stop.

  Jing Hai thought that this thing would eventually be given to Qiu Qiu anyway, and once they became more familiar with each other, the little girl would definitely not be distant from him.

  Even if he didn't give it to her, a big man like him couldn't use this thing anyway, it's made too delicate and compact.

  Jing Hai opened the box again and looked at the small arm ring. Suddenly, a dazzling green light burst out from the arm ring.