Chapter 99: Ice-like Skin and Jade Bones, Am I the Only Wasteful One?

"Big brother, what is this?"

In the evening at the Lu family home, after dinner, Xiao Yan curiously asked Lu Qing about the jade bottle he had taken out.

"It's something good, a dessert for you after your meal," Lu Qing smiled and replied.

"Is it sweet?" The little girl's eyes lit up instantly.

She had a sweet tooth.

"Yes, it's a little sweet. Go on, give it a taste."

Xiao Yan obediently opened her mouth, and Lu Qing dripped a drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid into her mouth.

"It really is sweet!"

Xiao Yan smacked her lips happily.

Then she looked at Lu Qing expectantly, "Big brother, just one drop?"

"This thing can't be taken in large amounts. You like sweets, so tomorrow, brother will make you some snacks."

Xiao Yan was still young, and the power of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was not to be underestimated. Although the medicine was mild, Lu Qing didn't dare to give her too much at once.

He decided to start with just a drop to see how she reacted.

If she could handle more, he would administer another dose later.

"Then, big brother, you promised!" Xiao Yan immediately cheered up at his words.

After taking the drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Xiao Yan soon felt drowsy.

Before long, her eyelids grew heavy, and she slowly fell asleep, snuggled up next to her brother.

Lu Qing carried her to her small bed, tucked her in, and then Little Beast jumped up to its nest at the head of the bed, a small woven bamboo basket, and quietly guarded the little two-legged beast.

After making sure Xiao Yan was comfortably tucked in and hearing her steady breathing, Lu Qing felt relieved and left the room, stepping out into the courtyard and settling into his favorite reclining chair.

At this moment, dusk was approaching, and Lu Qing gazed at the distant sunset, feeling a sense of contentment.

His trip into the mountains had been incredibly fruitful, granting him opportunities that others could scarcely dare to dream of.

However, being in the mountains had also kept him on edge, as they were home to countless venomous insects and snakes. One wrong move could bring disaster.

Now that he was back home, he could truly relax.

As he watched the sunset, his mind wandered for a while before inevitably turning to his thoughts.

His master was currently helping him refine the Blood Replenishing and Qi Boosting Pill.

Lu Qing had wanted to help and practice his pill-making skills, but his master, full of vigor after his recent breakthrough, had shooed him out of the alchemy room, claiming he was getting in the way.

He had said that refining the Blood Replenishing and Qi Boosting Pill was simple and didn't require any assistance.

Moreover, practicing with hundred-year-old ginseng was too wasteful, and he couldn't bear to see Lu Qing squandering such precious ingredients.

Lu Qing hadn't insisted, figuring he already knew how to refine the pill, and he could always practice later.

Once his master finished refining the pills, he could devote himself fully to cultivation.

Then, his strength would surge forward at an incredible pace.

For now, he just needed to wait patiently for a couple more days.

In addition to martial arts cultivation, he couldn't neglect his training in the Dao of Runes.

The Dao of Runes might seem weak in the beginning, but once one truly grasped its fundamentals, they could harness all sorts of profound powers—something that martial arts alone could never compare to.

How could Lu Qing possibly give up on such a wondrous power?

With that in mind, Lu Qing took out a piece of silver from his pocket, activated his ability, and entered a state of calm and focused meditation, carefully observing the silver.

Back in the Jade Transformation Chamber, he had already gained some insights, but Little Beast's awakening had interrupted him.

Now, he could continue his contemplation.

As night slowly fell, Lu Qing, deep in his meditative state, lost track of time.

It wasn't until the moon rose and the stars shone brightly in the late hours that he suddenly snapped back to reality.

He glanced around, then looked up at the sky, feeling a bit dazed.

"It's already this late? Time really slips away when I'm immersed in the Dao of Runes."

The same thing had happened in the Jade Transformation Chamber. He had felt that only a few hours had passed, but in reality, a day and a night had gone by outside.

"But the time spent is well worth it."

Lu Qing looked at the silver in his hand and smiled.

He had gained some insights into the patterns on the silver.

He believed that with a few more sessions, he would be able to fully comprehend them.

Of course, understanding the patterns on one piece of silver didn't mean he had mastered the Dao of Runes.

If the Dao of Runes were that simple, it wouldn't have faded into obscurity, leaving behind only the Jade Transformation Chamber.

This ancient art was profound and intricate, and Lu Qing still had a long way to go before he could truly master it.

Putting away the silver, Lu Qing stood up and realized that his clothes had become damp from the night air.

Fortunately, he was now a Qi and Blood Realm warrior, with a robust physique.

If he were an ordinary person with a weaker constitution, sitting out in the courtyard for half the night would likely result in catching a cold or falling ill.

Shaking his head, Lu Qing circulated his qi and blood, raising his body temperature to dry off the dampness, and then he returned indoors to rest.

Early the next morning, Lu Qing rose and practiced his fist techniques a few times before preparing breakfast.

Just as he finished cooking, he heard Xiao Yan and Xiao Li playing and laughing in the room.

He walked in and saw the two little ones rolling around on the bed together.

"Big brother!" Xiao Yan called out as soon as she saw Lu Qing enter.

"You're awake. How do you feel after sleeping the whole night?" he asked.

"Big brother, I think Xiao Yan's skin has become fairer!" The little girl said, extending her arm and pushing up her sleeve to show Lu Qing her chubby little arm.

Her arm, which had been somewhat dark before, was now like a white lotus root, soft and tender, and extremely adorable.

In fact, Lu Qing had already noticed that Xiao Yan had changed quite a bit.

Lately, the meals at home had been good, and with his care and nourishment, Xiao Yan's body had improved tremendously since he had first traveled here.

Not only had she gained some meat on her bones, but her originally dull and yellow hair had also shown signs of improvement.

However, although her hair had improved, the period of nourishment had been short, and her hair was still a bit yellowish.

Also, because she played outside every day, her skin had tanned a bit.

Now, not only had her hair become black and shiny, but her skin had also turned fair and delicate.

She had become even more adorable and endearing.

"Yes, not only has your skin become fairer, but your hair has also turned black," Lu Qing nodded.

"Really? Xiao Yan's hair has turned black?" The little girl's eyes lit up.

Ever since her peers had commented on her unattractive hair, Xiao Yan had become very self-conscious about it.

Now that her brother mentioned that her hair had turned black, she became curious.

"Of course it's true. You'll see when you go to brush your teeth and wash your face," Lu Qing assured her.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately scrambled off the small bed and exclaimed, "Big brother, I'm going to brush my teeth and wash my face now!"

She ran out to the courtyard and gazed into the washbasin, and soon, she happily shouted, "Big brother, Xiao Yan's hair has really turned black!"

"I told you, as long as you eat your meals nicely and sleep well, your hair will become prettier soon," Lu Qing smiled.

At the same time, he activated his ability and quietly checked Xiao Yan's information.

Soon, a faint red light emerged from Xiao Yan's body.

【Lu Xiao Yan: A human cub, female.】

【A lucky little one, she seems to have accidentally awakened a special talent after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.】

【Ice-like Skin, Jade-like Bones (Not Fully Activated): Pure physique, free from impurity and blemish, icy and jade-like, a natural-born cultivation genius. When cultivating water and cold attribute techniques, the effects are doubled.】

Upon seeing the information that appeared about Xiao Yan, Lu Qing was astonished.

Not only because of the red light of her ability, which was on par with Xiao Li's, but also because of the last two lines.

Under the stimulation of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid's medicinal power, Xiao Yan had actually awakened a talent called Ice-like Skin, Jade-like Bones.

And from the description, this talent seemed incredibly powerful.

She was truly a cultivation genius.

However...

"Not fully activated?"

Lu Qing frowned at the words on the third line.

He thought that the reason it wasn't fully activated was probably because she had only consumed one drop of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

Xiao Li's invisible talent had fully activated after consuming five drops of the liquid.

With just one drop, it was definitely not enough for Xiao Yan.

To completely activate this Ice-like Skin, Jade-like Bones talent, she would likely need to consume a few more drops.

However, Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was not a concern for him.

From the Jade Transformation Chamber, Lu Qing had obtained almost forty drops of the liquid.

He had used three drops himself, given five drops each to Xiao Li and his master, and one drop to Xiao Yan the previous night, totaling fourteen drops.

Now, he still had around twenty drops left.

Even if he gave Xiao Yan four more drops, he would still have about ten drops left for future use.

Out of these twenty drops, he intended to keep ten for cultivating the secret technique of the Shen Fu Sect, which was used to temper one's divine soul.

That would still leave him with about ten drops as a reserve.

So, Lu Qing wasn't worried about running out of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

Instead, he felt both delighted and speechless upon discovering that Xiao Yan had accidentally awakened such a unique cultivation talent.

After consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, both Xiao Li and Xiao Yan had awakened their talents, and his master's cultivation had improved, soon to break through to the Innate Realm.

Everyone but him seemed to have gained exceptional benefits.

He felt a bit like the odd one out, having only experienced an increase in potential without any special advantages.

Lu Qing's feelings were complicated.

Over the next two days, Lu Qing gradually gave Xiao Yan a few more drops of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

Finally, after she woke up from consuming the fifth drop, he used his ability to check her information again.

A dense red light emerged from Xiao Yan's body.

【Ice-like Skin, Jade-like Bones: Pure physique, free from impurity and blemish, icy and jade-like, a natural-born cultivation genius. When cultivating water and cold attribute techniques, the effects are doubled.】

Seeing that the words 'not fully activated' had disappeared, Lu Qing heaved a sigh of relief.

Chapter: Teaching Little Sister to Read

"As I thought, just like with Xiao Li, it takes five drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid to fully activate Xiao Yan's talent."

"Big brother, what's wrong?"

Xiao Yan had just finished washing up and was waiting for Lu Qing to braid her hair, but she noticed that he was staring at her blankly, which puzzled her.

"It's nothing, big brother is just thinking about something," Lu Qing replied, skillfully braiding Xiao Yan's hair into two cute pigtails.

After finishing, he inspected his handiwork from different angles, feeling quite satisfied.

With her shiny black hair, fair skin, and big eyes, Xiao Yan looked even more adorable, like a delicate porcelain doll.

According to the little girl, she had been playing outside these past few days and often received compliments from Grandpa Zhang and the others. They also gave her lots of tasty treats, making her extremely happy.

"Alright, let's eat breakfast," Lu Qing said.

In the house, the siblings sat across from each other, enjoying a hearty meat porridge while Xiao Li savored its fresh fish on the side.

It was undeniable that the Black Night Spirit Racoon was an absolute fish connoisseur.

Even if Xiao Li ate fish for three meals a day, it would never tire of the delicacy.

As they ate, Lu Qing's thoughts drifted to another matter.

Now that Xiao Yan had awakened such a unique talent for cultivation, he needed to adjust some of his plans.

Initially, Lu Qing had hoped for Xiao Yan to live a safe and peaceful life without striving for any grand achievements.

However, with her extraordinary talent, it would be a waste not to make use of it.

In a world where martial artists were revered, the ability to harness martial power was something countless people dreamed of.

Yet, only a select few possessed the qualifications to do so.

Since Xiao Yan had been blessed with such a talent, he should encourage and support her on this path.

From now on, he would gradually teach her about cultivation and the knowledge she needed to embark on this journey.

However, according to his ability's information, the cultivation techniques most suitable for Xiao Yan were those with water and cold attributes.

Ironically, Lu Qing didn't have any techniques of that nature.

The legacy left by Li Weitian consisted entirely of Innate Realm techniques, and none of them were water or cold-attributed, making them unsuitable for Xiao Yan's cultivation.

"Looks like I'll have to find a water and cold-attributed legacy for Xiao Yan in the future," Lu Qing thought to himself.

Of course, this wasn't an urgent matter.

Before reaching the Innate Realm, there were no distinct attributes in cultivation during the Postnatal Realm.

Everyone focused on tempering their qi and blood, strengthening their muscles and bones, and refining their internal organs.

Only upon reaching the Innate Realm and cultivating their unique innate qi would the distinction of attributes come into play.

Xiao Yan was still a young child who hadn't even taken the first steps toward cultivation. Even with her exceptional talent, it was uncertain when she would reach the Innate Realm.

He could take his time in searching for a suitable legacy.

For now, the Postnatal Realm cultivation techniques, such as Master Li's Nurturing Fist, would suffice for her training.

With that in mind, Lu Qing looked up and asked, "Xiao Yan, do you want to learn how to read?"

"Read?" Xiao Yan blinked, looking puzzled.

"Yes, reading. You like listening to Little Monkey's stories, don't you? There are many more wonderful stories out there, even better than Little Monkey's, but they're written in books. If you learn how to read, you'll be able to enjoy those stories by yourself."

During this period, Lu Qing still told Xiao Yan stories from time to time.

He couldn't understand why the little girl never seemed to tire of the same monkey story, no matter how many times she heard it.

Even Xiao Li would sit attentively, its eyes sparkling with interest whenever he began a story.

To spark Xiao Yan's enthusiasm for learning, he decided to use this as bait.

As expected, Xiao Yan became intrigued.

Even Xiao Li perked up its ears, curious about this development.

"Big brother, are there really stories out there that are even better than Little Monkey's?"

"Of course! But those stories are written in books, and you won't be able to understand them if you can't read."

"I want to learn! Big brother, I want to learn how to read!" Xiao Yan exclaimed eagerly.

"Alright, starting today, big brother will teach you how to read. If I'm busy, you can also learn from Grandpa Chen."

Lu Qing smiled inwardly as he saw Xiao Yan taking the bait, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Just then, he felt a tug on his pants leg and looked down to see Xiao Li gazing up at him expectantly.

"What is it, Xiao Li? Do you want to learn how to read, too?" Lu Qing was taken aback.

When Xiao Li nodded, Lu Qing was speechless.

He never expected the allure of stories to be so powerful that even the black beast wanted to learn how to read.

However, he had no idea how to teach a beast to read—he had no experience with that!

"Then we can learn together, big brother! Xiao Li and I can learn together!" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up at the idea.

Having a study partner would make the journey more enjoyable.

"Uh... alright, then."

Facing the eager gazes of the two little ones, Lu Qing could only nod in agreement.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end