Chapter Thirteen: Amusing Anecdotes of Fellow Disciples

  It was just a few days later, in the evening sitting on the wooden platform under the eaves of the house, Xiaodou furrowed her brow and asked:

  "Yun Shi Mei, Xiao Qiao, what's going on here? Why are so many of my junior brothers and sisters helping me tidy up the garden? Don't they have their own things to attend to?"

  A silk blue dress, deerskin boots, and a sweet smile always on her face, Yun Xiaoqiao smiled foolishly:

  "No way, we don't have any spirit stones to buy seeds, and our own place doesn't have anything good to harvest. Moreover, many of them are timid and don't dare sleep alone, so they all squeeze together to sleep. With more people, the power is greater, and they've already finished harvesting. Most importantly, they've all learned the Taoist methods on Mount Mocheng long ago, and those beginner methods are meaningless. It's been several days with nothing to do, just in time for Master Brother to need some help, so everyone came. However, the fruit from the trees in your backyard is ours now, haha! My favorite fruit - peaches!"

  Yun Rui looked at his fellow disciples working in the medicine garden with a worried expression and sighed deeply, saying:

  "Master, it's not good to continue like this. We're all still young now, let's just have fun together, but... as we grow up slowly, everyone will learn the skills and one by one, they'll leave just like our predecessors did in the past. What if..."

  Yun Xiaoqiao exclaimed in surprise: "Ah! This is not good, now that Master is not here, what if bad people come to our door and all of our people have left? Wouldn't we be in great danger?"

  Xiao Dou thought for a moment and said: "I heard Shui Xian say that this Yuan Fei master can practice the Nine Yin and Nine Yang divine skills, as well as the Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi and the Vajra Body Protection divine skill. If you want to cultivate your innate talent, there will be many opportunities and conditions. However, success is rare, but now it's not just that we haven't started practicing yet, Master Yuan Fei himself is no longer here! Alas... I don't want to part with everyone like you do, but we can't delay others' progress. Is there a suitable technique for everyone to practice?"

  Yun Xiaoqiao's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly said: "There are many, especially in our school, there are many children who have brought their family's skills, and there are also magical tools, but the treasure is only mine, even my sister doesn't have one!"

  Yun Rui Yao's small face said seriously: "Big brother, you have a good relationship with them in their hearts, so please gather everyone and concentrate all the skills. Let's study together! Although this is absolutely against everyone's school rules, we are still young after all, and our hearts are relatively kind, without any sectarian biases. In my opinion, this can be done! But if it drags on..."

  "When it's time to cut, cut!" Xiaodou suddenly stood up and said loudly with a firm gaze:

  "If we don't want to taste the pain of separation, let's work together and hold hands tightly, so that we can go on forever. Tomorrow morning, I will announce this!"

  After having breakfast on the second day, Xiao Dou gathered everyone outside and stood in line. He thought about what he wanted to say again, his face tensed up for a moment, after all, this was one of the rare times he spoke in front of many people, and he was still a bit nervous. Then, taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, looking like a little boss, and suddenly said loudly:

  "Junior brothers and sisters, I know why everyone's mood is not high and feeling depressed. It's because some of you have already lost the meaning of learning the skills on Mount Miao Tian. As your senior brother, I discussed this with our four other senior brothers and sisters, and we think that this matter must be resolved as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will end up like the people from our sect in the past, scattering everywhere, and our home will be destroyed!"

  "How hateful! I don't want to!" Suddenly, a loud-mouthed guy led the way, and in an instant, everyone shouted in unison:

  "Ahh... I don't want to be separated from everyone... our home... I still want to help everyone build a new house! Yes, we still have to play games together! Eating with Master Brother is the most delicious, it's just... can't be separated... hmm..."

  The effect is not bad, and Xiao Dou takes the opportunity to say: "I don't want to be separated from everyone either, but in the future, we will all grow up, get married, have children, and protect our loved ones. However, if there are bad people bullying our families and we can't fight back, or if monsters eat our companions with whom we play games every day, we won't be able to do anything about it. In that case, we will inevitably disperse like I did when I parted ways with my friends of ten years, each going their separate ways to find a powerful master to learn magic from, and our families will scatter. So, I thought of a solution - that is, to concentrate all our powers together. Among us, many people have brought cultivation methods from their families, so why not donate them? Let's collectively find several suitable cultivation methods for everyone to practice together. Of course, this isn't mandatory; if someone really can't do it, we won't force them. In short, I hope someone will donate, and then we can all learn together and be together forever. Hmm... If someone donates an awesome cultivation method, I, the eldest brother, will consider it a great merit, even though there's no reward. It will definitely change their title to one of the top-ranked brothers or sisters. I'm sure everyone agrees, right?"

  "Agreed, I'll go get it now. Ugh, I want to be the current number ten's senior brother, not that little seventeen. And I especially want to shake off that stinky number one hundred and sixteen, don't compete with me... my current number ten's senior sister is going..."

  The effect is very good, under the leadership of Yun Ruiyao, Yun Xiaoqiao and Li Tongtong, more than 200 people, forty or so children handed over 45 volumes of gongfa respectively. Then everyone happily carried the books into the mountain cave, where there was a forbidden room, and neatly arranged the books on the empty bookshelves, made labels, and recorded them well. Xiaodou wrote down the names of the people who submitted the books on his notebook, claiming that after everyone's cultivation, they would select the top 50 ranking list again. They also arranged sentry posts and a fixed time to open it up, dividing the number of people into four parts, arranging the time, for everyone to come and read.

  Then, they observed and recorded the family's total assets: 32 pieces of magical equipment, three alchemy cauldrons, a damaged refining furnace, a symbol-making brush, nine forging hammers, and most importantly, Cloud Xiaoqiao's treasured artifact - the Thousand-Fold Umbrella! And thirty ordinary Rushing Through the Gate Pills. This was all that their over 200 children had to their name.

  After hearing this, Yun Rui's small face turned green with rage, and she shrieked hysterically:

  "This little thing can support the lives of over 200 cultivators? If so, I'm afraid that less than ten people would be able to break through the Qi Refining stage!"

  Xiao Dou smiled lightly and said, "Yun Shimei, this is also unavoidable. When our master accepted disciples in the past, he only took in those with poor qualifications that no one else wanted. Seeing that our master would accept anyone, they all came running together. However, don't be discouraged, I've already made inquiries. Not far from the mountain valley is the headquarters of the Xianyao Peak, where the people are very easy-going. We can collect some medicinal herbs in the mountains or catch some delicious creek fish to exchange for our daily cultivation needs. Occasionally, we'll organize everyone to help with tasks and work together, which will also bring in a decent income. With some savings, we can cultivate a few more junior brothers and sisters, practice a few skills, and slowly develop from there."

  Yun Xiaoqiao grasped his hand and smiled foolishly, saying: "Wow~ Big Brother Master, I didn't expect you to be so decisive at critical moments, really impressive! You're like the patriarch of our family, a man who knows what he wants and doesn't want!"

  Yun Rui sighed and said: "Big Brother Master, you're really optimistic, but this can't change our situation. What to do?"

  Xiao Dou smiled slightly and said, "Yun Shimei, don't worry, don't underestimate these junior brothers and sisters. Although their cultivation talent is not as good as ours, they have a lot of clever ideas. With over 200 people, there will definitely be some who have opportunities. As long as we take care of this warm home and unite together, it's already a perfect plan. Whether or not things work out depends on fate, but being at peace with ourselves is what matters most."

  As soon as she finished speaking, not only were the several junior brothers and sisters around her startled, but even Xiaodou herself was startled. When did she become so fierce? It's really scary!

  It's actually a case of "water flowing into the channel", Shuixian is a talented person, taught him for over ten years, some so-called life principles he has long been familiar with, just young and not yet enlightened!

  Again, under the influence of that perfect elder brother Leng Han Ming, he is now allowed to directly practice and become a small leader of over 200 people. Everything he has learned naturally comes out, and from then on, the image of Da Shi Xiong (Big Master Brother) with the nickname "Big Rice Bucket" in everyone's heart completely changes! He is wise and powerful, brilliant and decisive, truly the pillar of everyone's heart!

  Returned to his own small home, after planting all the land in the valley, he took out some seeds and distributed them to each of his fellow disciples. Although it was not much, everyone who received some felt happy and contented.

  There were actually six more boxes of seeds that he didn't take out, not because he was stingy, but because the book said those six boxes of seeds were too precious. He understood this principle deeply after being squeezed for ten years by others. If he took them out, it would be difficult to keep his small family safe and trouble-free. There was also his little bracelet and the secret of his reincarnation eye, which he had never revealed to anyone!

  In daily life, apart from living and practicing, occasionally when the weather is good, he would lead his fellow disciples to bring some food and go on a picnic in the mountains. They often trek through the primeval forest, dig up some herbs, and if they happen to dig up precious herbs or catch delicious wild game, they would be overjoyed!

  Xiao Dou led this group of people who were ordinary yet not ordinary, who claimed to be cultivators but didn't seem like cultivators. They always tried their best to make everyone happy and cheerful. It could also be said that the figure of Leng Han Ming was always his model for learning, silently influencing him. And Xiao Dou's small, sturdy back also became a spiritual pillar for all his fellow disciples.

  Although the cultivation is difficult and the days are a bit ordinary, everyone can open their hearts and live happily, and the days will pass quickly.

  Among the brothers and sisters, Li Tongtong's memory was the best, so everyone urged her to recite that thick stack of herbal medicine books.

  Unexpectedly, after more than a month, they had all memorized it, which made the slightly stupid Xiao Dou almost admire this junior sister to death, and immediately organized personnel to go up the mountain to collect medicine!

  One by one, not very old, carrying bamboo baskets, holding tents, carrying food and grain, also carrying sickles, and two small doctors who only know how to bandage, plus four cooks carrying large pots...

  A muddled little team like this, some people don't even know what they're doing here, anyway, they all happily follow the big brother up the mountain to play.

  With everyone relying on two legs and holding hands with each other, they climbed up the mountain for two days and set up camp in a windy mountain valley, lit a fire and cooked!

  After finishing work here, Xiaodou organized some people to stay and guard, while others accompanied Li Tongtong to collect herbs.

  Before long, at the fork in the road between the trees on the mountain, Xiao Dou's side was bustling with excitement. A mischievous-looking younger brother ran back laughing and said:

  "Master brother, Fifth Master sister, come and see the red ganoderma I picked! Haha! I'm really a genius!"

  Two more junior sisters ran back, their faces flushed with excitement, saying: "We also picked some martins, quite a few!"

  "I also found the bark of the Pei Cui tree." A refined and courteous younger brother, when bringing back the herbs, couldn't help but have a smug look on his face!

  A chubby little brother, with a red round face, said foolishly: "Uh... I only dug up mushrooms."

  As the "Fire Head General", Fan Shi-di immediately burst out laughing with a pleased expression:

  "By the way, when it comes to food, we also picked up a big bag of wild vegetables, and tonight when we get back, I'll stir-fry eggs with them for you..."

  When Li Tongtong occasionally checked the books to identify them, everyone happily picked up a plant of herbs and then when it was time for dinner, they quickly rushed back, sat on the grass in front of the camp tent, and had a big feast with their senior brother!

  No matter who it is, no matter what they bring back, it's all a harvest. Xiaodou gives everyone a warm and enthusiastic verbal reward, and then organizes everyone to have a lively and fun night.