DDDV Ch 136 Part 2 – Do You Know Lu Yuandao? (II)

Before long, Hall Master Mo asked casually, “Is there anything else?”

Sang Yunsi gently cupped her hands and said, “This younger generation has been in Guiyuan’s care for quite some time. My Master has sent a word for me to return, and we will be leaving soon. However, we heard that His Venerable has found a dao companion. May I inquire when Guiyuan will hold the bonding ceremony? Our Biyun Sect would like to prepare a gift in celebration.”

Hall Master Mo casually gave Sang Yunsi a glance. Her infatuation with His Venerable was not a secret, and Hall Master Mo had also heard about it. But to find her so blatantly using a greeting as an excuse to dig for information made him feel a slight displeasure, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Sang Yunsi knew her actions were inappropriate, but she had been staying in Guiyuan Sect as a guest for over a month, enjoying the best food and hospitality, yet she hadn’t been able to see His Venerable.

She only knew that there was now a residence for a female cultivator in the Eastern Ninth Peak. But the recruitment of disciples had passed, and His Venerable hadn’t taken a single disciple. Senior Brother Lu had only mentioned that rumors were not necessarily true and refused to tell her more. Feeling increasingly restless, Sang Yunsi finally mustered the courage to come and see Martial Uncle Mo, who was her Master’s old friend.

Although Hall Master Mo was very displeased, he thought of his good friend from the Biyun Sect and did not let his displeasure show. Maintaining a calm expression, he said indifferently, “Chasing after the moon’s reflection on the water is a futile endeavor. Martial Niece, the sun is already high. You’d better leave now if you want to reach your sect before nightfall.”

“Thank you for your concern, Senior Uncle Mo.” A trace of blush spread across Sang Yunsi’s cool face as she bowed elegantly. Although Martial Uncle Mo hadn’t said much, he made her feel embarrassed, and she couldn’t bear to stay any longer.

“This younger generation will take our leave.” Sang Yunsi retreated in a state of embarrassment, but the only consolation was that she finally had a clear answer. After being anxious for more than a month, she could finally sigh in relief. This was enough. As long as His Venerable did not make any bonding ceremony with another woman, she still had a chance.

Hall Master Mo didn’t want to lash out at a younger generation, but the moment Sang Yunsi and Mo Shuang’er left, he immediately conjured a messaging paper crane and began to scold his friend from the Biyun Sect thoroughly.

The paper crane sparkled with a faint light, flew away, and disappeared. When Hall Master Mo lowered his head, he saw the curious eyes of his youngest disciple.

Hall Master Mo: “…” He had been so engrossed in scolding that he forgot this girl was still here.

Hall Master Mo put on a stern face, attempting to regain his dignity as Master, “You were off to play today, weren’t you? Have you finished your assignments? Let me test you.” He said.

Then he bombarded her with a pile of questions. Lu Yaoyao answered them calmly and even had enough mental capacity to ponder over her Father’s many peach blossoms.

Well, Father surely is popular!

After the assessment, Lu Yaoyao remembered the question she had earlier and quickly asked, “Master, is there any elixir in this world that can give spiritual roots to a person?”

Hall Master Mo patiently replied, “Naturally, there isn’t. If there were, everyone in the world would become cultivators, and there would be no ordinary people left.” Spiritual roots were the foundation of cultivation, and those without spiritual roots could only be ordinary people throughout their lives.

“Some pills, like the Heaven-Mending Pill that can purify spiritual roots or the Rebirth Pill that can reconstruct them, do exist. However, the materials required for these two types of pills are rare and hard to come by.”

“Can spiritual roots be created?”

Hall Master Mo patted his disciple’s head and said, “When you grow up and become a renowned alchemist, you can try.”

Lu Yaoyao nodded. Another goal had been added to her growing list, adding another burden to her tiny shoulders.

“Master, I have a good friend. His name is Li Dazhuang, and he currently is in the outer sect. Having no spiritual roots, he’s often bullied… Can you recruit him to our peak?”

Hall Master Mo looked down at his eager disciple. He remembered there was indeed an eighteen-year-old without spiritual roots during the entry trial that seemed to have near zero presence. Hall Master Mo was touched and pleased that his disciple still cared about the friendship even now. Since it was rare for her to request something from him, he readily agreed, “Of course. You can ask your second senior brother to arrange it.”

“Thank you, Master!”

After Lu Yaoyao finished speaking with her Master, she returned to her small pavilion. As she entered her study, she saw her Father sitting in a chair, looking at her assignments. Lu Yaoyao immediately ran over, “Father!”

Yao Jiuxiao put down the papers, his gaze softening, “You’re back.”

Lu Yaoyao hadn’t expected her father to come so early today, and she was delighted. She grinned and asked, “Father, did you miss me?”

Yao Jiuxiao neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, he took Lu Yaoyao to the open courtyard of East Ninth Peak and said, “Let me see how your swordsmanship has progressed.”

“???” Lu Yaoyao, who was about to play sweetly with her Father, was instantly taken aback. What kind of spartan father was this? They had only just reunited a few days ago, and he wanted to put her through practice already. Couldn’t she have a few more days of peace?

Lu Yaoyao’s eyes darted around, and then suddenly brightened, “My cultivation has been sealed!”

“It won’t affect your performance.”

“…”

In the end, Lu Yaoyao had no choice but to take out her small wooden sword and earnestly began practicing. Her strikes looked playful, thoroughly lacking lethality and sharpness. With every movement, Yao Jiuxiao’s expression turned increasingly cold, and his sharp eyebrows furrowed deeper.

After completing a set of sword movements, Lu Yaoyao disregarded the continuous cold aura emanating from Yao Jiuxiao and immediately rushed over to hug his legs. Her big, innocent eyes blinked as she tried to please him, saying, “Father~ Yaoyao knows she was wrong. In the future, Yaoyao will definitely practice diligently! When Father and Daddy weren’t around, it’s really hard for Yaoyao! Yaoyao has to work hard every day just to survive and has no time to practice swordsmanship. Yaoyao didn’t do it on purpose, really…”

Lu Yaoyao spoke pitifully, “Father, you don’t know, I fell into the Abyss. It was dark all year long and so terrifying. If it weren’t for the thought of returning to Father and Daddy keeping me going, I might not have made it out—”

Lu Yaoyao’s heart was pounding with a guilty conscience. She had missed practicing swordsmanship since she fell into the Abyss. At first, she didn’t know how to return to her human form, and she was too drained to think about it. Later, she focused on the development of the Abyss and how to get out, so she unintentionally forgot about her sword practice.

And when she was with her Daddy in the Devil Realm, she had been locked up in the cultivation room all day long…

The blazing flames of reprimand were extinguished by the little girl’s pitiful lamentations. In the end, all those words condensed into one sentence, “You must not slack off in the future.”

“Yes, yes, I promise! I will practice diligently every day and never slack off!” Lu Yaoyao pointed to the sky as she made her vow.

“Oh, right, I almost forgot.” Lu Yaoyao slapped her forehead. The next moment, an enormous package, even taller than her, appeared out of thin air. She said, “Father, this is the gift I got for you!”

The surging devil aura instantly began spreading. Yao Jiuxiao’s fingertips quickly moved, sealing off the surrounding space to prevent the devil aura from spreading further and triggering Guiyuan Sect’s defensive array.

Lu Yaoyao, unaware of this, spoke in a muffled voice as she rummaged the package. She couldn’t see her father like this, so she thought for a moment, put the package on the ground, and picked up a flower crown from the top of the pile. “Father, look! I made this up with my own hands! As for the rest, I picked them up and want to give them to you.”

Yao Jiuxiao lowered his eyes and looked at the loosely bound package filled with all sorts of trinkets, including items from the Cultivation Realm and artifacts tainted with devil aura…

Seeing her father remain silent, Lu Yaoyao understood and reassured him, patting her chest, “Father, don’t worry. Anything Daddy has, you will have too. I won’t favor anyone!”

Yao Jiuxiao: “…”

Flower crown in hand, Lu Yaoyao looked at her father’s height and pouted, “Father, can you kneel a little?”

Yao Jiuxiao complied with her request and knelt down. Lu Yaoyao made an effort to place the crown on his head, then looked up and admired it. Father looked even more handsome now!

Then she also put a small flower crown on herself and said, “See, we have a matching crown. Father and daughter!”

The corners of Yao Jiuxiao’s lips were slightly raised.

Afterward, Lu Yaoyao pushed the package, which was still taller than her, toward Yao Jiuxiao and explained how she had selected the gifts. Yao Jiuxiao naturally wouldn’t reject his daughter’s gifts. He received them all in a good mood and reminded her, “Do not bring out items from the Devil Realm outside.”

Lu Yaoyao nodded, “Don’t worry, Father, I’m not that foolish!”

Yao Jiuxiao didn’t comment. She was quite stupid just now. If he hadn’t been here, these Devil Realm artifacts would have alarmed the entire Guiyuan Sect.

Lu Yaoyao suddenly remembered something else, “By the way, Father, do you know someone named Lu Yuandao?”

Yao Jiuxiao’s hand, which was touching the flower crown on his head, abruptly paused.

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Translator’s note: