Painting of the Nine Immortals
chapter-103

Chapter 103: Two Months

Translator: Tatienne Editor: - -

Time, like a white horse galloping, passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, two months have passed.

The Vast Mountains were quiet and calm like it always has been. However, for the Barren Village, a major change has occurred. All because there was someone new.

A person from the outside society.

Originally, villagers from the Barren Village discriminated a lot against the outsiders. However, to fulfill the Village Leader’s wish, they didn’t say much. As time went on, however, men, women, and children began to accept Ling Xian. Their acceptance came deep from their hearts. One may even call that acceptance a form of respect.

There was nothing to do about it. Ling Xian was just too likable.

Within two months, he changed the Barren Village from top to bottom.

First, Ling Xian used the Dan of Life and Growth to cure Hu Zi’s arms. Then, he volunteered to go out hunting and brought back an abundance food for all the families. Before, it was extremely rare to get meat on the dining table. The few times the villagers were able to eat it, the meat was traded for with someone’s life. Now, however, every family, with every meal, could eat fresh and delicious meat. Ling Xian caused everybody in the village to gain a few pounds of weight.

More importantly, Ling Xian taught basic Taoism techniques to the villagers. He hand in hand taught them how to train and how to battle. To those villagers with basic training, this was a huge privilege!

What’s the most important thing in the cultivation community?

Capabilities!

Capabilities granted people the capacity to survive. Especially to those in the Barren Village, who lived in the dangerous Vast Mountains, their deepest desire was capabilities.

Ling Xian fulfilled their desires and easily earned their liking and respect.

Even though the techniques he passed down were very basic in Ling Xian’s eyes, to the villagers, they were far more superior than the techniques they learned before.

Therefore, every woman and man in the Barren Village appreciated, respected, and loved Ling Xian.

Playful children, in particular, adored Ling Xian because he told tales of the outside world. Those exciting stories always triggered the children’s curiosity. Sometimes, when Ling Xian sat under the tree and told the stories, many adults would even converge and listen to them. Many dreamt that one day, they too would able to extend their wings and experience the outside world’s amazingness.

Ling Xian was very strong with very high training, yet he was not at all arrogant. Rather, he was very friendly and showed respect to every villager.

To those in the village, Ling Xian was like an angel the God sent. He bettered their lives, strengthened their capabilities, and provided them with a better lifestyle in this danger-surrounded Vast Mountains.

To Su Zi, Ling Xian was even more of a present sent by God. When she was little, Grandpa often told her stories of princesses and princes. All her life, she imagined and pictured how her prince charming would look.

All these years, she’s had many pursuers, but she’s never felt her heart flutter.

Until that day, that one second kiss.

She knew then she’s found her prince charming on a white horse.

Despite the fact that the youth had no white horse, nor was he a prince, she knew very well that he was the one she has been waiting for.

In the past two months, the happiest person in the entire village was Su Zi. Every day has been wonderful and fulfilling. Every time she saw the kind and gentle young man, all her worries and troubles dispersed.

When he went out to hunt, she would feel worried.

When he came back safely, she would feel relieved.

When he frowned, she would feel sad.

When he laughed, she would feel happy.

Everything about him had nothing to do with her, yet everything he did affected her.

A girl’s heart was always full of poems and emotions. As she drowned in the happiness of being with him, she was also scared of losing it all. She often felt the courage to confess to Ling Xian bravely and express all her thoughts, but she was scared of rejection and making their relationship awkward. No matter what she did, it could go wrong.

"What should I do…?"

Su Zi sat on a giant rock before the Barren Village’s entrance. Like a housewife waiting for her husband to return, she waited for Ling Xian.

Her head hung low, and her brows were furrowed. With one hand on her cheek, she kept on glaring at the ground, not sure how to make a decision.

Right now, the Sun was setting, and it was nearing night time. The light red afterglow from the Sun shed onto the shingles of the Barren Village’s houses, acting as a thin jacket for this quiet village.

The elders were chatting, reminiscing the stupid decisions they made when they were younger. The men were training, seizing every opportunity to increase their capabilities in order to protect those they loved. The women were doing housework, washing dirty clothes and preparing tonight’s dinner. The children were playing in groups of three to five. They fought and teased, played pranks and set up traps, fully demonstrating the amount of energy kids their age should have.

The Village Leader sat before his front door and watched his granddaughter, who was deep in thought. A complex emotion filled his murky old eyes. He exclaimed, [This girl finally found someone she fancies. But Ling Xian is not an ordinary boy like everyone else. Sooner or later, he will leave this place and return to where he came from so he can freely extend his wings.]

Then he remembered that though Ling Xian was very strong, he still had some ways to go before he could find a way out of the Vast Mountains. The Elder was comforted at that thought and smiled happily. [It’s good that he cannot escape the Vast Mountains just yet. This means Su Zi has a chance. If she can trap his heart, then he won’t want to leave.]

[Ling Xian is strong with a good heart. He was also blessed with good looks and an extraordinary aura. He is a good match for Su Zi. If they really do get together, then I have nothing to worry about.] The Elder thought to himself. Soon, he became sorrowful.

Since half a year ago, he noticed that his body was getting worse and worse, and he didn’t have a lot of days left in this life.

Regarding his inescapable death, the Elder had a very open mind towards it. He didn’t feel any fear regarding the unknown, or unwillingness to let go of his current life. He only cared and worried for Su Zi.

Strictly speaking, he has no blood relations with Su Zi. However, after 15 years of living together, the Elder has long thought of Su Zi as his actual granddaughter. Now that he knows he’ll be leaving the world soon, the only person he couldn’t let go of was her.

For the past six months, the Elder has been going around trying to find a man he can entrust the rest of her life to. Sadly, all the candidates he thought were okay, Su Zi didn’t feel the same way.

Ling Xian’s appearance gave the Elder some hope. After two months of observation, Ling Xian, on the outside, on the inside, and in terms of training, was very satisfactory. He thought that this youth could really be Su Zi’s life long partner.

Most importantly, Su Zi liked Ling Xian very much.

Any external factors cannot compete with actual affections.

With her liking him and his superior qualities, the Elder cannot think of anyone better.

The Elder could tell though, despite Ling Xian’s gentle personality, his heart was very stubborn and stern. Whatever he chooses to believe, he will not change his opinion of it. He was very worried that Ling Xian will leave the Barren Village one day and never return.

[Aye, hopefully, Su Zi will be braver and tie down his heart. Or else… he’ll put his life on the line to try and fight his way out of the mountains.] The Elder sighed and pitifully glanced at Su Zi.

Just then, screams of shock came from the distance.

"Ling Xian is back. Wait, what is he carrying?"

"Oh my god, am I seeing things right? It’s a Three Eyed Gold Lion!"

"Oh, my mother! Ling Xian is too strong! He killed a ninth rank Three Eyed Gold Lion! A beast that wins battles with eighth-ranked beasts!"

First, the children were in shock, then the men became perplexed, and soon the entire village was in awe. Each of them stared at the young man walking towards them dumbfoundedly. Each of their faces was in pure shock.

It is a Three Eyed Gold Lion! A powerful ninth-ranked beast!

One of these beasts could easily maul and terminate an entire village. But now, this weak looking young boy has slaughtered one and brought it home. The effect this had on the villagers was like an earthquake had just happened, shaking everyone’s hearts.

Under the sunset, Ling Xian’s robe was as white as snow, and his hair was as black as ink. A faint smile was on his face. Showered with the light red afterglow from the Sun, he casually walked into the village, step by step.

In one hand, he held an arm-thick metal chain which had the golden and three-eyed giant lion tied up.

This was the ninth-ranked Three Eyed Gold Lion.

A normally very powerful beast was now acting like a dead dog, being dragged by Ling Xian back to the village, and soon to become food to the villagers.

This morning when he went out hunting, he easily killed ten beasts and felt very bored. He decided to find a stronger beast and battle it out for fun.

After exploring for an entire day, he finally found this Three Eyed Gold Lion. The lion was barely an opponent. Being a merely ninth-ranked beast, Ling Xian killed it after only ten rebuttals.

Ling Xian had planned to keep looking for stronger beasts and experience the thrill of having a good battle. However, seeing that the sun was setting, he was scared that the villagers would worry for his safety, so he returned dragging the Three Eyed Gold Lion’s dead body.

"Su Zi, I have returned."

Seeing Su Zi, who was obviously waiting for him before the village entrance, the corners of Ling Xian’s lips curved up. He patted her little head.

Su Zi smiled in return. Ling Xian’s safe return with the dead body of the Three Eyed Gold Beast made her worried heart calm. Before she could say anything, the overly excited villagers surrounded Ling Xian and rowdily conversed with him.

"Ling Xia, how cruel are you! You Killed a Three Eyed Gold Lion!"

"Unbelievable. I knew that you were strong, but I didn’t think I underestimated you this much."

"Haha, finally I can eat a satisfying meal tonight. I’ve never tried lion meat in my life."

The crowd that circled Ling Xian were flabbergasted. Their excitement was too much to describe.

The children especially, if the adults did not drag them back, would’ve clung onto Ling Xian for a long time to express their enthusiasm.

The normally calm Village Leader lost his composure also. He hurriedly ran up to the corpse of the Three Eyed Gold Lion. Observing the scars on its body, his murky eyes were filled with awe.

"One, two, three…" The Elder counted the scars on its body. Every number he counted, his disbelief deepened. Once he finished counting, he gasped in bewilderment.

"10 scars… there are only ten scars. This mean, Ling Xian only made ten moves before ending its life!"