Cultivation: Starting from a Mortal Bone

Facing the innocent and delicate Little Ling’Er, Qin Yu found it hard to express his difficulties.

He was no saint and even considered himself an ordinary person.

If it weren’t for Little Ling’Er being too young, and his concern about hurting her, he might have already given her injections or medicine.

A day passed, with pain and joy interwoven.

Night fell.

The Empress Dowager was summoned back to Jade Flower Palace by a message.

To accompany Little Ling’Er, Qin Yu specifically left the ’most beautiful’ mistress.

At first, facing the prestigious Princess, Yin Qinghe was somewhat uneasy, but when Little Ling’Er comfortably leaned against her and quickly fell asleep, she felt less restrained.

That rebellious disciple.

So lucky, even the Princess...

”It’s infuriating! Little Ling’Er can stay in Huayang Hall, why can’t I?!”

In Jade Flower Palace, the Empress Dowager felt a strong sense of emptiness and loneliness, desperately wishing to confront the Empress in the Imperial Study.

However, thinking of the Empress’s fierce gaze, the Empress Dowager struggled internally but eventually dismissed the idea.

As time passed, she became more restless.

She really missed Little Ling’Er, wondering if she had fallen asleep, and without her embrace, if she could sleep well.

Driven by longing, the Empress Dowager inadvertently gazed toward Huayang Hall.

Perhaps the Empress was busy, and might not expect the Empress Dowager to defy her orders.

”Oh, already asleep?”

The Empress Dowager didn’t use any special perception, but ’looked’ towards Huayang Hall.

Her eyes seemed to pierce through the palace walls and distance, and in the next moment, the scene of Little Ling’Er sleeping appeared vividly in her mind.

Oh!

So big!

This beloved wife of Qin Yu could seem to rival even the Empress Dowager.

How detestable of Qin Yu, having such a grand wife and still secretly glancing at me.

Hmph, does he really think I don’t feel anything?!

Wait, where’s Qin Yu?

Why isn’t he accompanying Little Ling’Er to sleep?

The Empress Dowager looked around Huayang Hall and soon found Qin Yu, noticing some strange sounds in a side hall.

”Why are there so many people sleeping together?”

”Oh dear, it’s so crowded, they piled up together, so silly!”

”No, this is...”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes suddenly widened, and she covered her eyes tightly with her delicate hands, her face flushed red swiftly, even her ears turning crimson.

She never expected that Qin Yu, he, actually in Huayang Hall...

My heavens, how could he do such a thing!

Though the Empress Dowager had read many stories, she had never encountered knowledge like this!

Ah!

My eyes are no longer clean!

The Empress Dowager shook her little head vigorously.

She seemed to want to shake off those indecent scenes from her mind, but no matter how hard she tried, the images remained imprinted as if engraved in her memory, impossible to dispel.

Even with her eyes closed, the scenes continued to replay.

Sobbing...

Darn it!

My mind is no longer clean either.

You detestable Qin Yu, I have been so good to you, yet...

Hmph!

This account, I will remember it!

Qin Yu, who was in deep cultivation, could never have imagined that it was merely because Little Ling’Er was staying in Huayang Hall for the first night that he didn’t bring his beloved wives back to the Lifebound Space.

Just a routine cultivation session, yet the Empress Dowager witnessed it.

After finishing his daily cultivation, Qin Yu returned to the Lifebound Space with Yan Yu.

The pressure from the Flower Fairy made him dare not relax.

Only then did he carefully examine the dead branch left by the Flower Fairy.

The bark of the dead branch curled, covered in dry cracks, devoid of any vitality.

Even when he urged his True Essence into it, no miracle occurred.

”Husband, how did you get a branch of the Tree of Life?”

A glint of surprise flashed in Yan Yu’s beautiful eyes.

”Tree of Life?”

Immediately, Qin Yu recalled seeing a book in the Myriad Books Hall that had a record of the Tree of Life, along with a breathtaking image.

In that image, there was a towering ancient tree, its branches lush to the extreme, obscuring the skies, like countless giant hands supporting the entire sky. Each leaf on those branches seemed like a massive jade disc, full of vibrant life.

Even the tree bark was covered with mysterious and complex patterns, each pattern seemingly recording the passage of time and the mysteries of all things in the world.

Back then, Yan Yu mentioned that the ancient tree depicted in the image was less than one ten-thousandth of the real Ancient Tree of Life.

”You might be mistaken.”

Qin Yu, looking at the dead branch in his hand, couldn’t associate it with the legendary Tree of Life.

”There’s a major issue with the Elf Race.”

Yan Yu paused, then slowly said, ”I’ve heard the Empress mention that the Tree of Life is withering.”

”The arrival of the Flower Fairy, or rather, the emergence of the Elf Race, is probably to find a way to save it.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu was immediately relieved.

No wonder at the Flower Language Building, the Flower Fairy set such a test.

It turns out, this is her true purpose.

But, how could the Tree of Life wither and die?

In the records, the Tree of Life is full of vitality, with each leaf comparable to a miraculous healing medicine, sought after by all races, yet hard to come by!

Moreover, the Tree of Life is intertwined with the entire continent, such a divine tree, how could it shed dry branches?

Unless...

This world has changed, the vitality of the land beneath is gradually dissipating, moving towards depletion.

Thinking of this, Qin Yu suddenly understood many issues.

No wonder, the many ancient books in the Myriad Books Hall record that cultivation was not so demanding in the past, while today’s cultivators require solid root bone for any realm, and without sufficient root bone, they don’t even qualify to cultivate.

The fundamental reason for this is likely the loss of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi!

”I haven’t even mastered the Power of Dao Rhyme, really powerless...”

Qin Yu shook his head, sighing lightly.

Originally, he thought his True Essence was special, holding onto a tiny bit of wishful thinking.

”Dear husband, even with the Power of Dao Rhyme, it’s impossible.”

Yan Yu said seriously.

In fact, not only the various great talents attempted, even the Empress personally tried, yet such existence could not rejuvenate this withered branch.

Qin Yu smiled bitterly.

”Forget it, if it really doesn’t work, I’ll just stay in my Lifebound Space and not go out then.”

He tried several methods but none worked, in the end, he simply gave up, casually planting the dry branch in the nearby soil.

”Little bunny, you haven’t let me see your little tail today.”

Qin Yu wrapped an arm around Yan Yu’s slender waist, and the pretty face of the little Flame Guard instantly blushed.

”You... weren’t you going to focus on cultivation?”

”Watching your tail is cultivation too!”

”Can’t we skip the tail watching?”

In the room, Yan Yu’s soft cries rang out quietly.

Luckily, during certain activities, Yan Yu wasn’t present, otherwise, the Empress Dowager’s little head couldn’t handle so much knowledge.

While Qin Yu was engrossed in arduous cultivation, he was unaware that the Empress Dowager in the Jade Flower Palace was tossing and turning, unable to sleep, with her pretty face blushing at times and waving her petite fists, appearing quite restless.

...

In Huayang Hall.

Today’s Empress Dowager seemed a bit unusual.

According to Qin Yu’s understanding, the Empress Dowager should have come over just as dawn broke.

However, not only did the Empress Dowager delay until close to noon, she seemed to be intentionally avoiding him.

Even several times when he tried to approach, the Empress Dowager would subtly or overtly avoid him.

But when Qin Yu wasn’t paying attention, she would glance at him with a strange expression.

”Could it be that she was called back last night and is now upset?”

Qin Yu suddenly felt somewhat guilty.

Actually, he didn’t mind the Empress Dowager staying overnight in Huayang Hall, he even looked forward to it a bit.

But the Empress won’t allow it!

When the Empress Dowager stood alone by the side, only then did Qin Yu approach her with Little Ling’Er, yet just as he neared, the Empress Dowager’s back suddenly tensed.

Her silver hair gently fluttered, with every strand seemingly sparkling like stars, there was no denying, the Empress Dowager was almost flawless, her silhouette graceful, swaying like a willow in the wind, her palace gown outlined into a perfect curve of a silhouette, the tenseness in her movement causing the gown to lightly tremble, sparking imagination.

”Empress Dowager.”

Qin Yu quietly approached a bit closer, softly calling out.

The Empress Dowager responded with a simple word, moving half a step forward as if fearing something might bump into her.

”Empress Dowager, what’s the matter?”

This subconscious action even the naive Little Ling’Er noticed something amiss.

The Empress Dowager had been there for almost half an hour, yet seemed to be avoiding both her and Brother Qin Yu, leaving Little Ling’Er rather puzzled.

”I’m fine.”

The Empress Dowager stiffly turned around, her simple mind almost displayed all her thoughts on her face, yet she continued to put up a brave front.

Her complexion fair, eyes like twinkling stars, carrying a touch of ethereal charm, but her Dai Mei brows slightly arched, almost spelling out her worries for all to see!

”If the Empress Dowager has anything on her mind, feel free to share, if Qin Yu can assist, he will go to any lengths without hesitation.”

After this period of interaction, Qin Yu almost considers the Empress Dowager as one of his own.

He doesn’t know who might have troubled such a gracious and ethereal Empress Dowager.

Could it be she was reprimanded by the Empress again?

A surge of anger rose in Qin Yu’s heart, if only he were strong enough, he would confront the Empress directly.

Such a beautiful Empress Dowager is meant to be cherished, how could anyone be harsh on her?

”No!”

The Empress Dowager instinctively refused.

I don’t want this fierce person’s help!

The Empress Dowager suddenly looked at Little Ling’Er, her beautiful eyes filled with worry and compassion.

Oh heavens, Qin Yu is so big, and Little Ling’Er is still so small...

Oh no, those images are surfacing again!

The Empress Dowager felt like crying, how could she clean her mind from these thoughts?

Little did she know, the more one tries to forget something, the more the memories stay vivid.

[Happy New Year everyone, thank you all for your continued support, thank you, with gratitude!]