Banshee Family Training Record

Page 14

A blue spider, as large as an elephant, was on a web in mid-air, spinning silk forward from its mouth, its two enormous forelimbs weaving it into the shape of a hollow sphere.

She was weaving a hidden weapon with her own silk, one that could trap a person. She had recently heard that several prestigious sects and powerful families seemed to be planning something, so this weapon might fetch a good price in the cultivator's market.

She was spinning when suddenly Grandma Huai Shan's voice came from outside: "Zhu Yunqing!"

The enormous spider paused, put down its work, then turned and swiftly crawled out along the web: "Master!"

Her attitude was respectful, all eight eyes fixed on the outside. At the doorway, Granny Huaishan stood, peering through the spiderweb at the enormous blue spider inside the cave, and asked in a deep voice, "Has something happened to Yun Chu'an recently?"

Zhu Yunqing suppressed her doubts but remained respectful as she recounted Hua Caiyan's investigation findings.

You Wensi listened silently, outwardly remaining silent, but inwardly feeling as uncomfortable as if she had swallowed a fly.

Why did the accident I least wanted to see happen at home when I had only been gone for a few days?

That flaw was originally intended to be left for later use to harvest his cultivation; its location meant it would generally go unnoticed.

What a coincidence that a drunken robber ran into him?

And then, the whole family found out?

Does the "eldest daughter of the family," who has always been eager to challenge his authority, know about this now?

So now, not only has this flaw been fixed, but it may also make others feel that they are deliberately harming their own people!

She felt a wave of nausea, but the matter was already over. Forcibly abolishing his cultivation method and replacing it with a flawed one would seem even more deliberate.

However, if we don't leave ourselves a backup plan, it won't be so easy for him to reap the rewards later when he grows stronger.

On matters that could determine her future, You Wensi abhorred all risks.

She said in a deep voice, "I understand your feelings and your care for every family member, but he is just a human being and is not worthy of trust."

"You must have heard about what happened to the Hua Caiyan family. I deliberately left a backdoor in his cultivation technique to prevent such a tragedy from happening to us in the future. Do you understand?"

She decided to plant some more seeds of trouble in Yun Chuan's future cultivation.

She wouldn't reveal the value she discovered in Yun Chu'an; it was best to keep this treasure to herself.

Inside the cave, Zhu Yunqing, in his spider form, trembled slightly at the mouth.

These words made her even more confused. She clearly remembered that among the family members, only Hua Caiyan had a blood feud with humans, and therefore had always held a certain prejudice against them.

You Wensi had never acted this way before. After all, whether it was Qi Qiao, the zombie she had personally created, or the family thugs she had recruited, those bandits were all human.

Why would Yun Chuan receive such special treatment from her?

Something was definitely amiss. She had her suspicions, but she remained outwardly calm and simply replied, "I understand."

But deep down, she had already made up her mind to report this matter to her elder sister as soon as possible.

"You're busy, oh, remember to try to go down the mountain less often these days."

You Wensi turned to leave, but stopped abruptly after taking half a step: "The Qingyun Sect has made some moves today, and Buddhists are also involved. Your second sister and I need to take action. You should try to stay as inactive as possible these days to avoid getting yourself into trouble."

Zhu Yunqing's eight eyes gleamed together: "Yes, I will be careful."

……

Time moves slowly forward, and for cultivators, "recently" is often measured in years. A few days, however, may be just a blink of an eye for them.

"Come on, give it a try and see if you can do it?"

That evening, in the Spirit Gathering Stone Array, Yun Chu'an stood with Qi Qiao, teaching her how to fill the empty spirit stones with spiritual power.

In the past few days, having gradually become familiar with this new realm, Qi Qiao has been able to freely open her eyes for at least an hour each day to have some simple conversations with him.

However, she still didn't have many memories and couldn't recall much of her past, which made him feel a little regretful. He had been hoping to find some useful information from her.

It seems she knows less than I do.

Having given up on those thoughts, Yun Chu'an now spends his days chatting with her to relieve her boredom. And these past few days, the request she's made most often is that she doesn't want him to always take care of her; she wants to do something for him too.

Yun Chu'an didn't mind, so that evening, when the sunlight was no longer so harsh, he taught her step by step how to fill the spirit stone with spiritual power.

Qi Qiao opened her eyes wide and studied very seriously. Although as a zombie, her mind might not be very quick, as a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining, her control over spiritual power was far superior to that of Yun Chu'an, who was only at the first level of Qi Refining when she first started learning.

Therefore, after learning it, she can fill a spirit stone in just ten minutes.

"Great!"

Looking at the square spirit stone brimming with spiritual energy in front of him, Yun Chu'an praised her generously, giving her a thumbs up. The latter smiled faintly, looked at him tenderly, and said slowly, word by word, "From now on, while you sleep, I can make new spirit stones for you here."

Yun Chu'an had some doubts about whether her energy was sufficient to support her working here long-term. But before he could speak, the system notification suddenly rang in his ears: [A member with relevant skills has been detected residing in the family business 'Spirit Gathering Stone Array'. Activate automatic production?]

Upon hearing this, he was immediately taken aback.

Wait, why is there another notification all of a sudden?

Could this be referring to Qi Qiao?

He looked at the zombie bride in front of him, and his expression was quite delighted for a moment.

Her actions were also recorded by the system, which could automatically generate spirit stones?

Doesn't that mean...

"Qi Qiao," he called softly, "try closing your eyes and relaxing your mind and body?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Qiao closed her eyes, and instantly her arms straightened, transforming her back into a zombie. Immediately, Yun Chu'an mentally called out, "System, activate automatic production."

His heart was filled with anticipation, and then he saw Qi Qiao's hands indeed move automatically, drawing on the surrounding spiritual energy to fill the next empty spirit stone.

Moreover, her efficiency is far higher than Yun Chuan's; she can produce one pill every ten minutes, which is 1.5 times faster than him!

Seeing this, he couldn't help but smile broadly. Although the nights were shorter and the days longer, if he and Qi Qiao took turns working day and night, they could produce more than a hundred spirit stones each day!

If you deliberately slow down your cultivation and accumulate spirit stones, then the treasures in the system shop will not be something far away.

Even more so, it's readily available!

Chapter 25 Liu Mengshen's Conquest Completed

The more Yun Chu'an thought about it, the more excited he became. He opened the system interface and looked at the vast array of cultivation techniques, spells, magical treasures, and elixirs inside, his heart pounding with excitement.

Even though these items were priced exorbitantly, they seemed readily available to him at that moment!

Don't rush, don't rush, now is not the time to be happy, I'm only at the second level of Qi Refining!

Right now, we should focus on cultivation.

Over there, after finishing another spirit stone, Qi Qiao opened her eyes and looked at him expectantly. Yun Chu'an knew what she wanted, so he told her to stop, then went over to her, hugged her, and began to tell her some fables he had heard in his past life.

Qi Qiao only has one hour of complete wakefulness each day. Naturally, they wouldn't use such precious time for dual cultivation. Instead, they would chat, teach her some things, and deepen their understanding of each other.

This one hour each day is the only real time Yun Chuan and Qi Qiao can spend together, and the only comfort they can find in each other's company.

An hour later, the drowsy Qi Qiao closed her eyes again, returning to her zombie state. Yun Chu'an then placed her in the Spirit Gathering Stone Array, activated automatic production, and had her work there while he went back to rest.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, he got up early and returned to the stone formation.

As soon as he returned, he saw that nearly sixty spirit stones full of spiritual power had been laid out on the round table. Qi Qiao was still working here, her movements were perfect, but only when she sensed his approach did she put down the spirit stones in her hand, jump over and come to his side, like a child searching for its mother, yearning for a hug.

Yun Chu'an reached out and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "Well done."

Qi Qiao lowered her head and gently rubbed against his neck. Anyone who didn't know better would probably think that this zombie was trying to suck his blood.

It was getting late, and the sun was rising, so he took her hand and led her back into the coffin to rest.

As he stepped out of his house to return to the Spirit Gathering Stone Array, a woman's voice suddenly rang out: "It seems Qi Qiao is recovering well. Thank you for your hard work these past few days."

Yun Chu'an was startled and turned to look at the source of the sound, only to see Zhu Yunqing slowly walking towards him at the end of the street.

Her lips curled slightly upward, indicating she was in a good mood. Yun Chu'an quickly cupped her hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Fourth Sister. I am ashamed to say that I only made a small, insignificant contribution."

Zhu Yunqing said, "No need to be so modest. I've been watching what you've taught her lately. It's easy to imagine that soon she'll be able to gradually become no different from an ordinary person, even with her zombie body."

Yun Chu'an smiled sheepishly: "After all, my production capacity is only enough for my wife and me. My wife has always wanted to do something, so we tried and managed to walk."

"Currently, although the production of spirit stones is not large, it is enough to supply the two of us."

Zhu Yunqing smiled and said, "You're only at the second level of Qi Refining, and Qi Qiao is only at the fourth level. You think this output of low-grade spirit stones is enough?"

"You should know that the number of spirit stones required to break through each level increases exponentially. This is under the condition that everything goes smoothly. If you encounter a bottleneck and cannot break through for a long time, you will need even more spirit stones. If you just guard this spirit-gathering stone array and rely on yourself, you may not be able to establish your foundation until your lifespan is exhausted."

Yun Chu'an was taken aback, then adopted a humble and receptive attitude: "Then, Fourth Sister, what should I do?"

Zhu Yunqing walked over and said, "You are indeed skilled in calculation, but unfortunately you still know too little about the cultivation world. In fact, the spirit stones circulating in the cultivation world mainly come from the spirit stone arrays of us small sects, but from the blessed lands and fairy grottoes of famous sects and noble families."

“The spiritual energy in these places is exceptionally rich, and there are also more advanced spirit-gathering formations. With a little operation, billions of spirit stones can appear out of thin air and be used for cultivation and absorption, or as currency to purchase pills, magic treasures and other items.”

Yun Chu'an was taken aback, and couldn't help but mutter to himself: So, does this mean that all those famous sects and aristocratic families control nuclear-powered money-printing machines? Won't prices in the cultivation world inflate infinitely?

Oh, no, there is a difference: after all, printing too much banknotes can easily turn them into worthless paper, while spirit stones are cultivation resources that can be used and consumed.

Therefore, in the end, prices in the cultivation world should also be in a state of dynamic equilibrium.

Thinking this through, he realized something and then said, "So, instead of painstakingly making spirit stones on the spirit-gathering stone array ourselves, it would be more efficient to make pills, magic weapons, and other items and then sell them."

Zhu Yunqing nodded approvingly: "You are very smart, but your cultivation level is still too low for now."

As she spoke, she reached out and gently tapped his shoulder: "Now, even if I teach you how to make pills and magic weapons, with your total spiritual power, you still won't be able to make a qualified finished product."

"So, before you think about these things, focus on your cultivation first. Once you reach the third level of Qi Refining, remember to contact me."

After saying this, her body transformed into a wisp of green smoke and flew away swiftly. Yun Chu'an felt a surge of excitement. She glanced at the balance in her spirit stone pouch, pondered for a moment, and then made a plan.

No, I can't break through to the third level of Qi Refining too quickly.

According to my previous plan, I should do the task first.

Having determined the next course of action, he then turned and headed straight for the Spirit Gathering Stone Array.

As time passed, everything on Huai Mountain seemed calm and peaceful. However, some changes were happening quietly.

That day, after Yun Chuan sent Qi Qiao back to her coffin to rest in the early morning, he did not turn around to go to work at the Spirit Gathering Stone Array. Instead, he turned around and went straight to the riverbank where Liu Mengshen was.

By now, he also understands that Liu Mengshen is standing here not only to facilitate her own cultivation, but also to take care of a family member who is recuperating underwater.

However, this did not delay what he was going to do next.

The sun was shining brightly, and the willows on the riverbank were bathed in the morning breeze. Their soft branches swayed in the wind, as if they were lost in their own thoughts and had no idea that Yun Chu'an had arrived.

The latter breathed a sigh of relief; he had been genuinely worried that she wasn't there. He slowed his pace, not in a hurry to approach, then pulled a long, slender bamboo flute from his sleeve, put it to his lips, and gently began to play.

The melodious music drifted out, stirring the gentle breeze on the riverbank, and entered Liu Mengshen's heart. The willows on the riverbank suddenly awoke, and then their branches swayed as if dancing, like a little girl who had seen her favorite candy and was dancing happily on the spot.

Yun Chuan played his flute, letting the clear, beautiful sound echo along the riverbank, as he slowly walked forward. He was playing the famous flute piece "A Trip to Suzhou," and the melodious music made Liu Meng feel so happy she could fly.

All of this is the result of his hard work and preparation over the past few days.

He first redeemed the flute from the system. Although it was just an ordinary item, it still cost him 100 spirit stones, which was so expensive that he couldn't help but curse the system for being a profiteer and squeezing his hard-earned money.

Fortunately, its craftsmanship is worth its price. Although it is made of green bamboo, every detail is done to the extreme. Even if Yun Chuan is a complete novice, he can see its extraordinary quality.

After that, he spent another hundred spirit stones to buy a tutorial on playing the qudi (a type of Chinese flute). After several dozen days of intensive study, he finally mastered it.

Now that he is a practitioner, he has sharp ears and eyes, and an exceptional memory, reaching the level of photographic memory. Learning this kind of performance technique is naturally a piece of cake for him.

So today, after he had fully mastered it, he couldn't wait to come over and show Liu Meng his results.

He played his instrument as he moved forward, and by the time he reached Liu Mengshen's side, the piece had just finished playing.

Then, the branches around Liu Meng trembled and eagerly swept over him, like a girl in love passionately embracing him. A leaf whispered in his ear, "What is this?"

Yun Chu'an's heart pounded, but his face remained calm as he said in a deep voice, "This is a musical instrument from my hometown. I had nothing to do these days, so I made this out of bamboo from the mountains. I hope I can play the tunes from my hometown for you."

"So, Sixth Sister, did you like that song?"

The branches of Liu Mengshen danced wildly over his body, their tender green leaves brushing against his cheeks and neck as if a young girl were kissing his skin.

At the same time, the willow leaf brushing against his ear seemed to be a cry from the depths of this woman's heart: "I love it! I love it so much!"

As Liu Mengshen excitedly shouted, the system notification suddenly rang in his ears: [Ding, the trust level of family member 'Sixth Sister' has increased to 'Admiration'.]

[Ding! Mission 'Conquer Liu Mengshen' is complete. Rewards are being distributed...]

Chapter 26 Intimacy in a Dream

Yun Chu'an was startled, then his expression turned to wild joy. This task had been completed so easily; he had simply demonstrated a new musical instrument, and yet he had won over Liu Mengshen!

I thought there would be more steps to follow.

As he was thinking this, suddenly, two tender leaves from Liu Mengshen covered his eyes. A strange spiritual power surged through him, and instantly, he lost consciousness.