Chapter 139: A Pining Heart for Home

As Yan Chixia was using a cinnabar brush to draw paper talisman seals, he suddenly thought of Immortal Qingxu, and could not help but think with deep regret, "How unfortunate! Master happened to go traveling three days ago! Today is my eighteenth birthday, and he won't be able to attend!"

The mere thought of Immortal Qingxu filled Yan Chixia's heart with a warm and blissful sensation. In this lifetime, being able to encounter such a wonderful master as Immortal Qingxu made Yan Chixia feel truly fortunate! At this very moment, he dared not imagine what a tragic end he would have met back at Gushan Temple, if his master had not appeared at the exact moment he was utterly defeated in combat with that wolf demon while wielding the Red Hero Sword...

Thinking of Gushan Temple naturally led his thoughts to Backing Mountain Village, as well as Li Xiaohu, Zhao Jinsuo, Zhang Shitou, Chen Xiaobao, Madam Zhao, and Taohua. At the very thought of them, a surge of warmth washed over Yan Chixia's heart, and with eyes brimming with hot tears, he called out in his mind:

"Auntie, Taohua, I have missed you all! Xiaohu, Jinsuo, Shitou, Xiaobao, are you all doing well? I have missed you too! In the blink of an eye, a decade has passed since we parted ways! Through all those stormy years, I have often dreamed of you, dreamed of Backing Mountain Village, and dreamed of Gushan Temple...

Taohua, back then when I was about to follow Master up Mount Zhongnan to cultivate the Dao, you held my hand and cried, saying, 'Brother Chixia, where are you going? I won't let you leave!' And I said, 'Sister Taohua, do not cry. Big brother is going to follow Master to learn the Dao arts, and I will return in the future...'

Yet, in the blink of an eye, ten years have passed, and I have yet to return to visit you. I am truly sorry to you all... Surely you haven't forgotten me, have you?

After ten years apart, Auntie, is your health still well?

Taohua, by now big brother has grown into a towering, independent man, and you must have blossomed into a clever and beautiful young woman!

And what about Xiaohu, Jinsuo, Shitou, and Xiaobao? You must all be strapping young men by now, too!

When we parted ways back then, everyone was studying hard to achieve scholarly honor and bring glory to our ancestors... I wonder how things are with you now? Have you brought glory to your ancestors yet?

Auntie, Taohua, Xiaohu, Jinsuo, Shitou, Xiaobao, you must be happy for me! Through ten years of arduous cultivation on Mount Zhongnan, I have finally attained success! Just wait for me—once I learn how to ride the wind on a flying sword, I will return to Backing Mountain Village to visit you..."

While pouring his deep affection into conversing mentally with Madam Zhao and Taohua, Yan Chixia continued to wield the cinnabar brush, tracing endlessly upon the talisman paper...

Before long, with dragons flying and snakes dancing beneath his brush, Yan Chixia finished drawing the manifestations he wished to activate today across several sheets of talisman paper. Afterward, he laid down the ink brush, stored those talisman papers away within his storage ring, blew out the sesame oil lamp, and stepped outside with high spirits and boundless vigor.

At this moment, the Morning Star had already appeared on the eastern horizon. The sky was about to break, and a brand-new day was about to begin.

Striding forth valiantly and spiritedly out of the Qingxu Temple, Yan Chixia walked straight to the thousand-year-old pine tree in front of the temple. After taking a deep breath, he sat down upon the grass, silently reciting the incantation, and summoned forth a piece of the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone stored within his storage ring. Tapping lightly upon the stone with his right palm, the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone instantly began to emanate an abundant supply of spiritual energy. Yan Chixia promptly placed it on the grass before him, straightened his posture into a dignified seated position, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate with utmost concentration.

The piece of the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone that Yan Chixia placed on the grass before him was not the one brought back from the ancient ruins three years ago, but rather one activated by Immortal Qingxu using the Paper Talisman Dao Art. Although its spiritual energy was not quite as abundant as the one retrieved from the ancient ruins, it was virtually identical in potency.

Presently, the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone used by Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Songtaer during their cultivation sessions were all activated by Immortal Qingxu utilizing the Paper Talisman Dao Art, for the stones each of them had been allotted three years prior had long since been depleted.

Yan Chixia had once attempted to activate a Seven-Colored Spirit Stone using the Paper Talisman Dao Art; although the outer appearance of that stone was an exact replica of a genuine Seven-Colored Spirit Stone, it contained no spiritual energy whatsoever! Yet Yan Chixia was not discouraged by this, for he knew it was simply because his mastery of the Dao was still too shallow, lacking the divine power required to awaken a Seven-Colored Spirit Stone—much like how Immortal Qingxu was unable to activate Uranium Crystals using the Paper Talisman Dao Art...

Seated upright on the grass, Yan Chixia concentrated on cultivating his true qi while absorbing the wisps of spiritual energy radiating from the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone.

Half an hour later, his cultivation session concluded. He opened his eyes, drifted lightly to his feet, and picked up the still-emitting Seven-Colored Spirit Stone. With a wave of his sleeve, he channeled his true qi to seal the spiritual orifices of the stone, halting the release of its spiritual energy. This technique was something he had learned three years ago from the Fairy of Nine Heavens within the ancient ruins.

After storing the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone back into his storage ring, Yan Chixia silently recited an incantation to summon the Red Hero Sword from his storage ring. Wielding the precious sword with consummate grace and striking a dashing defensive stance, he began to practice his sword forms upon the grass with renewed vigor.

By now, the sky was fully bright, and a crimson sun was bursting forth from the eastern horizon, rising steadily upward. Bathed in the brilliant, splendid glow of the morning rays were Yan Chixia's extraordinarily handsome face and his exceptionally lithe, vigorous figure as he danced through the air with the Red Hero Sword.

Just at that moment, Bai Xiaoyue pushed open her door and walked out from her room. Catching sight of the heroic and spirited Yan Chixia practicing his swordplay on the grass, she could not help but cheer aloud:

"Well struck!"

Hearing this, Yan Chixia immediately halted his swordplay, stood radiantly, and greeted Bai Xiaoyue:

"Good morning, Sister!"

Bai Xiaoyue smiled enchantingly and replied:

"Good morning, Brother!"

Yan Chixia nodded with a smile and stored the Red Hero Sword away into his storage ring. As Bai Xiaoyue approached with her garments fluttering in the breeze, he smiled and said:

"Sister, let me tell you some wonderful news—today is my eighteenth birthday!"

"Really?" Bai Xiaoyue exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. "Brother, Sister wishes you a very happy birthday!"

Before her voice had even faded, Tu Xiaomeng and Songtaer came running over simultaneously, both of them chiming in joyfully:

"Brother Yan, happy birthday!"

"Thank you!" Yan Chixia said, exceedingly pleased. "Sister, Xiaomeng, Songtaer, thank you all for your blessings!"

"What is there to thank us for?" Tu Xiaomeng suddenly said with a distressed expression. "Brother Yan, today is your birthday, and I ought to give you the best birthday present possible! But as I am utterly penniless and have nothing to my name, what on earth can I give you?"